Advice re: eating post op

Hi

Sorry to hear about your husband but you will find lots of help and advice on this site.  I had a partial gastrectomy three years ago and wrote a Blog about my recovery.  You can find it by clicking on my name.

I found the Oesophageal Patient Association information was a great place to start.

https://opa.org.uk

I did get some help from the dietician but it wasn’t great to be honest!  I was really careful at first and ate really small portions- it’s very easy to overeat!  Even in hospital I just had two or three teaspoonfuls.

Soft foods with high protein was important at first - porridge with full fat milk in the morning, smashed avocado and poached egg for lunch, and things like baked potato, or fish pie, cottage pie for dinner.   Eat little and often! I started with a small plate and built it up! 

Before the op, I ate a lot of high protein foods - full fat milk, cheese etc. All the things I had cutdown for years trying to lose weight!  I lost a lot of weight before I was diagnosed and through chemo so I wanted to put on weight before the op, as I knew it would be difficult afterwards!  

I thought at the time I would never be able to eat out again!  But I now eat pretty much as I did before but smaller portions!

Happy to answer any questions,if that helps!

Thank you so much Jac, I will take a look at your

blog. Very helpful   

Hello, I had a complete gastrectomy eating at first was a bit difficult as I love my food, I soon learned that feeling of being full was perhaps a bit late as I had to bring some up, i gradually increased the amount i was/am eating. I still cannot eat a full meal but I am getting there, it can be a bit depressing just eating small amounts but we all gotta eat something and often, sometimes it seems I am eating more through the day than I used to. You must keep an eye on your weight tho.

Thanks for the message 

I'm having a TG, total gastrectomy in 3 days time (stomach removal). 

I've been told there's three stages.

Stage one..water,  only for first day after operation...then 2 to 4 days after op, liquids only, milk, soup, custard,yoghurt etc

Stage two...day five to ? seven to fourteen days after operation, a diet of moist food, mashed potato, weetabix, minced meat etc. Avoid hard foods that you cannot mash with your fork, no steak, no raw vegs, no bread, no seeds.

Stage three, following stage two, a normal diet!... but small meals, six a day. Chew food well. Eat slowly. Sit upright when eating.

Good luck and best wishes Joe